Weekly expositor. (Brockway Centre, Mich.) 1882-1894, 1887-03-17
SET IN DIAMONDS.
CHAPTER ~ CONTINUED
by Charlotte VI. Braeme.

"You had much better leave her
alone" said the earl. who had seen sew
eral protegees Of her ladyship's come to
great grief.
But the person who seemed the most
struck by her was Lord Stair, the great
man Of the county.
Douglass sixth Baron of Stair one oil
the noblest, wealthiest gentlemen in the
land; Baron OF Stair, Lord Of Rydesdale
Manor, owner of the superb pile of build
ings known as Rydesdale House, In Bel
gravia, master of the pretty residence
known as Rydesdale Cottage, in the
Isle Of Wight; man Of grave and gra-
cious presence, tall, dark, handsome,
learned, but cold and proud.
He was one Of the finest amateur
musicians in England, and he had been
attracted by the name Of Cyril Marine
He knew how often gems Of the highest
and most brilliant kind are to be found
hidden In out-of-the-w places from
the organist, David Anssn; he had
heard wonders of the woodland Over
ture," and he went purposely to hear 1t.
He had not thought to see face oil
exquisite loneliness, that 1t was to haunt
him until the end of his life. Lord
Stair had passed through twenty years
OF perfect adulatiOn from the fair sex,
they began to count him when he was
q boy Of ten, and they were still doing
the same thing now that he was man
of over thirty; he had gone through the
ordeal unscatched. Duchesses had
smiled upon him, and had courted him
for their daughters sake, beautiful high
bred women had given him their bright
est smiles; girls had sighed for his
coronet; but music teaches those who
love II grand secrets; il had taught him
to dream OF an ideal, and until this
hour he had not found her-he beheld
her first when he saw the exquisite face
Of Marguerite Marine, looking all the
more beautiful for the commonplace
ones which surrounded 1t,
Lord Stair had seen nothing like this.
He watched the girl with eager eyes
There was no consciousness whatever
on that perfect face, no trace OF any
emotion, except when her father made
his appearance on the platform, and the
woodland Overture" was coming.
Then her face seemed to flash light; her
eyes never left her father. One could
have told the progress of the music
from her face; delight, pride, wonder,
were all there when she saw the impress
sion he had made.
Although she knew very little, she
quite understood that her fathers genius
was not recognized, and that this was
the first time anv work of his had been
brought before public notice. The
breathless wonder in which that music
was received, the unbounded applause
when IL was ended. the cheers and ring
ing plaudits that rent the air, when the
fine ladies clapped their little jeweled
hands until the kid gloves suffered wo-
fully, all delighted her.
They would call the composer on, hut
the man had been so lonely and under
stood praise so little that he was be-
wildered. He stood there, pale and
silent, while the ringing cheers Of the
people fioated round him,
Suddenly he caught sight ofhis daugh-
ter's face, all fire, delight. and tears,
1t was his wife Daisy whom he saw,
and he thought Of the sweet ringing
voice that he had first heard singing
40 Paradise. o Paradise Those who
saw him wondered why that strange
light came into his face. and why he
looked like one who saw something afar
off.
They cheered him and praised him
the elite OF the county came forward
to shake hands with him. Lord Desford
was In raptures with him,
"You must not hide your light under a
bushel. Mr.. Nairne," he sad. "Hill.
shire has reason TO be proud OF you!"
And Lady Dresford, with her most
gracious and flattering smile, told him
ha haI ri no CnI
better.
But they might praise, flatter as they
would, il was all the same to the man
who never, by night or by day, forgot
his dead wife's face. Then, before the
whole company--before the laughing
yet stately, countess-before the Cos
siping Mrs. Major White--before al
the fine ladies of Hillshire-Lord
Stair asked TO be introduced to the com
poser's daughter. Before the whole
room he made her the most stately bow
and praised her father.
He saw plainly that she was not fat
tered. only pleased-thAt his name did
not strike her-that she made no further
effort to please him or attract his
notice.
"The girl of whom have been dream.
Ing for years." he said to himself, land
have found her at last"
The concert was great success, the
people were delighted, and Lord Stair
begged permission to call on Cyril
Marine the next day, permission fully
accorded by the man who knew nothing
of the world or it's ways.
III shall be so delighted il you will
let me look over some Of your music.
said Lord Stair. at should be brought
out, not boarded up at home as misel
boards his treasure"
He went the day after, and for many
days after that. He fell so utterly anC
hopelesly in love with the composers
daughter, that after time he deter
mined to ask her to be his wife.
She was almost shocked at first; tn,
thought OF love, lovers, and marriage
had barely entered her head.
Lord Stair saw that she looked genu
inely alarmed and astonished.
"Tell me, my beautiful child" he said
shave you never had a lover?''
"Have II" she cried In wonder. "Oh
no, have never thought Of one. Why
should II"
"Has any lover thought of your" h,
asked.
And she answered earnestly that sh,
was quite sure no one had ever though
Of such thing.
"Then you will marry meP" said Lore
Stair. IL will make you the happies
woman on EARTH"
She looked at him with almost solemn
wonder.
~ am not grown up yet" she said
81 could not marry any one"
"will you try to love me2" he said
"Yes, | will try to do that" she said
shut not the other"
"Iwill be content for time," SAT-
Lord Stair, "if you will mske me tina
promise"